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Topic: Why I brew (Read 6427 times)

This is a good and worthy conversation....I brew for me. Once in a while my beer, dialed in for me, is better than anyone can get anywhere.....but I don't care....I brew for me.

I do occasionally enter beer in competition, for no other reason than to get feedback. I usually fill a recycled bottle(s) from tap and send it in...usually just one or two.

I don't begrudge those who brew for competition, or are moving in a professional direction....but think that brewing with the goal of winning gold at NHC, let alone Ninkaski? Seems pretty shallow of an endeavor to me (as in, personally unfulfilling) for a homebrewer. I think we all know of awesome beers that personally speak to us that haven't recently metaled at GABF (or anywhere).

A good beer is the one that is perfect for you at the time you are tasting it....be it a BJCP competition score of 28 or 48....it doesn't matter, be it BMC or Chimay, ABV of 3% or 13%, or IBU of 12 or 122.

Of course, I sometimes wish I could taste and identify every flaw in beer....but in so many ways, am glad I can't.

In 1977 when homebrewing became legal a friend of mine took it up. He made the best tasting beer I had ever tried. Of course back then all that was available in America were bland pilsners. Bud, Blue Ribbon, Hamms the beer refreshing, Shlitz, etc. Light beer had not even been invented yet.

I was always fascinated with it after that but never had the time, space, or opportunity to try it until a couple years ago. Of course by then the craft beer boom was really picking up momentum and I could buy good beer. But I like to tweak and perfect, plus I was still fascinated with the idea of it.

Since then I have discovered the ever learning aspect of the hobby. I like that. I used to play a lot of tournament chess and that was what made chess fun to me as well. Plus, I have found that once I have the equipment, brewing is much cheaper than buying beer. I recently went to the liquor store and picked up a 6 of Sam Adams Red Ale, a 6 of Odell's Red Ale, and a 6 of Sam Adams Alpine Spring. The ticket came to over $28. I walked out of there thinking I spend less than that making 2 cases. The kicker is I actually liked my last red ale than either of the professionally made ones I bought.

I have thought it might be fun to go pro on some level. But then it would become a job. And anything that becomes a job isn't fun anymore. I am not brewing to enter any contests. I am brewing for fun and to have beer actually designed just for my own taste.

I brew for several reasons. 1. I've always loved good beer. I'm passionate about it. 2. I love hand crafting something. We've lost that in America but not at my house! 3. I'm generally very distracted (ADD) in life and brewing forces me to channel everything into the brew day and focus. Its good for me. 4. Im proud of my finished product. I'm brewing what I like to drink 5. My wife was never much of a beer drinker but she LOVES my vanilla porter. Has a pint with me every night. I knew when I turned her to the dark side that I was making great beer! Outside of the bedroom, theres nothing I'd rather be doing in my free time that brewing! Cheers!

Like most here, I brew for me. I brew what I think tastes good, not what the style guidelines tell me my beer should be. I brew because I am a self-proclaimed "beer snob" and choose to snub the BMC industry. I brew because I am passionate for good craft beer. I brew because I really enjoy the whole process of creating something that gets transformed into a tasty beverage. So I brew simply for the sheer joy of brewing!

Because I like to drink good beer, but I don't alway like to pay a lot for it. I also brew to my tastes, mostly for American styles, just because there are hop/grist combinations that just aren't available commercially.

I have to admit that I don't often think my beer is better than some of the best commercial beers out there. But I usually like it better, and I think that's due to the fact that I brew it for my tastes.

I have to agree with this comment...but at the same time, I think we tend to be our toughest critic. I also have a hard time finding people to give me honest feedback about a beer. Beer judges give great feedback but usually its being judged on style...I just want to get feedback in such a way where if you were at a bar, asked for an IPA, the bartender gave you my IPA, would you like it a lot and order a few more, a little and have one more, ok but order something else, or return it.

I think the best way to get honest feedback is by having your friends over and tell them you want to do a blind tasting of some commercial brews and then mix in one of your own without letting them know.

I did that to my wife once without her knowing and got some REAL feedback from her, haha.

Of course back then all that was available in America were bland pilsners. ....Blue Ribbon.....

I take exception to that^^^^The best massed produced swill ever!!!!

I brew because I do. Same reason I make my own wine, bread, cheese, butter, jellies & jams, grow and preserve my own vegatables. Cut & preserve meat (buy in bulk) catch my own fish, and don't eat pre-prepared or resturauant cooked food, especially "fast food". I can afford to eat or drink what I want when I want but prefer to do it myself.

Logged

Sweet Caroline where the Sun rises over the deep blue sea and sets somewhere beyond Tennessee